The Good Spirit of Zagreb: Psychoanalytical Approach to Valentin Knez

Rad istražuje uzrok i smisao simptoma neurotičnog ponašanja jednog od najpoznatijih likova hrvatske kriminalističke književnosti, temeljeći istraživanje na traumi predodređenog identiteta imenom, odnosno sferi nesvjesnosti i nezadovoljene seksualnosti iz koje se razvijaju nagoni prema smrti. Valentin Knez tako iz položaja detektiva i kastrirana muškarca postaje zločinac i potentni muškarac, ostvarujući time pridani identitet kneza, onoga koji preuzima i ima vlast, no samo u prividnoj stvarnosti. Prikazat će se stoga kako je opsesija zločinom samo simptom nesvjesnih nagona prema seksualnom zadovoljstvu, ostvarenog konačno u sadističkoj (a istovremeno mazohističkoj) penetraciji sjekirom u Drugoga. Cilj je rada istražiti lik Valentina Kneza kroz njegovu opsesiju zločinima, temeljeći istraživanje i rezultate na otkrivanju mogućih uzroka nastanka njegove psihoze i njegova razvitka u ubojicu. Stoga će naglasak biti na nesvjesnim nagonima koji ga pokreću, prvenstveno na teretu imena i neurotičkim simptomima kao zamjenama seksualnog zadovoljstva.The work researches the cause and meaning of the symptoms of the neurotic behaviour of one of the most famous characters of the Croatian crime fiction. The research is based on the name predetermined identity trauma, i.e. the sphere of uncertainty and unsatisfied sexuality as the cause for death drives. In that sense, detective and castrated man Valentin Knez turns into a criminal and a potent man, accomplishing the given identity of “knez” (duke), the one who becomes the ruler and who rules, but only in the imaginary reality. Obsession with crime is therefore just a symptom of unconscious drives towards sexual satisfaction, finally accomplished in the sadistic (and at the same time masochistic) penetration of the axe into the Other. The purpose of the work is to research the character of Valentin Knez by means of his obsession with crimes. The research and the results are based on the detection of possible causes of his psychosis and his transformation into a murderer. The focus will therefore be on the unconscious drives, primarily due to the burden of the name, and the neurotic symptoms as substitutes for sexual satisfaction